Page:Condor8(1).djvu/14

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14 THE CONDOR I VOL. VIII rocky island north of Cabo Engafio. I am sure I saw two species of Tubinares on this occasion; one was certainly a shearwater and the other, a larger bird, was probably an albatross, but neither came near enough for a shot. We were in high hopes of reaching Camiguin before noon and those of my readers who have worked islands from a sail boat will realize how easily and re- peatedly these hopes may be destroyed. We beat about nearly the whole day but Camiguin came no nearer, in fact I believe we lost on each tack. At 4 P.m. the weather began to get squally and the old man at the helm said that we had better make for the lea of Fuga where there was protection and a good landing. I told him to put about; as he did so a squall struck us and the main boom got mixed with the after deck house causing our boat to list so that she took water like a tub. The old man did well however, and got her running before the breeze while all hands turned to and bailed for their lives. I was throwing some water myself when behind me I heard, "Santo, Santo," and looking around saw our "pilot" on his knees, shaking so he could scarcely pray. f asked what he ?vas 'tloit?,?[?re and he said: ",x'o matter, you go on bailing; I am too sick." By g? '-?d luck our stores and outfit were not seriously damaged and before mid- ?-:'_night we were in quiet water. '['he next morning we landed on a protected coral sand beach. There are very fexv trees on Fuga and none of them is large; this with the fact that the island is small precludes the possibility of an extensive avian fauna. Two species are particularly interesting; one is ?rypsipetes fug'ensis, mentioned above as the only Philippine representative of its genus; the other is Cinnyris whiteheadi which was first iound in Luzon where it is nmch rarer than on Fuga. Two other species are very abundant on Fuga and altho they are not of much interest to the collector they are welcomed by the camp cook. I refer to the wild chicken and the megapode. The first of these is generally considered to be conspecific with the Indian jungle foxvl, the wild stock of our barnyard friend. This is Gallusgallus of most authors, or Gallus bankiva of those who object to the use of tautonyms. This bird is known from nearly all the Philippine Islands where collections have been made and it is particularly abundant on some of the smaller islands. On Fuga we found it commoner than on any other island I have visited. I do not believe that this sp. ecies in its wild state is polygamous to so great a degree as ?re the domesticated varieties. It is unusual to see more than one hen with a cock; on Fuga I saw many pairs and but once a flock consisting of three hens and one cock. Another time I mistook a yellow-legged rooster for a wild bird and brought him down; my boys got him into the pot at once and considered it a good joke on the owner of the bird rather than on me. Before seeing this bird in his native land 'I had an idea that the famed jungle fowl afforded g(3od sport, but as the birds seldom come out of the woods or thickets and usually run when in the open there is no sport in killing them. '1 he female makes her nest on the ground beneath a small shrub. The eggs of the wild Gallus are much smaller than is usual with the domestic breeds and are dark cream in col(3r. I have seen small chicks in February and in May. The "tabon" or mound builder (J?egapodius cumingi) is a relative of the jun- gle fowl but of considerably different habits and appearance altho ot similar size. The skin of the head and upper neck is more or less bare and of a dark reddish or brownish color; the remainder of the body is well leathered and its general color is warm brown; the wings and tail are short; the legs are large and powerful and